Spirit of Sky
by Soundwave 0107
Summary: When Sokka deduces an alternative ability to Energybending, Ty Lee offers to help test this new feat. But a surprise journey to the realm beyond theirs reveals so much more about herself and one other. Rated T for eventual Tyzula.
1. Chapter 1

**Made this lil' fic as a present for Sky Warrior 108. Enjoy!**

**And a warning: There is Tyzula to come :D**

It was only when Sokka made a casual suggestion "If your spirit-energy-bending thing can take away bending, think it could give people bending?" when his friends actually put some real hard thought into the ancient and potentially lethal art, supposedly lost to time itself. If this great art of the Lion-Turtle's could manipulate a spirit into losing it's connection with an element, rendering the person unable to bend, then perhaps it could perform the opposite purpose; Perhaps it could allow a spirit to connect with the elements and bend. It was an interesting thought, to say the least. And perhaps one capable of restoring the balance.

The point was obvious; If Aang could use his newest bending talent to enable people the gift of Airbending, then the natural cycle could resume itself. Balance would truly return to the world once Air reasserted itself, and the Avatar Cycle could safely continue. After all, there would be plenty of time for Air Nomads to re-establish themselves in the time the spirit took to travel through the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation.

That is, if Sokka's theory was correct.

Of course, there were objections, mainly from Katara, Iroh and Aang himself. The young Airbender believed that manipulating another's spirit should only be a last resort to a terrible situation, not to be abused or used casually.. Katara was fearful of the massive risk that Energybending involved, as when Aang noted the corruption that had almost engulfed his very essence when fighting Ozai. And Iroh was merely cautious, not objectionable, but given his past dealings with spiritual matters, his worry about problems with the procedure of Energybending was understandable.

And the final matter: A test subject.

Who would be willing to put their spirit on the line? Who would be willing to subject themselves to the unknown, great power of Energybending? Not anyone they knew. Aang was glad that no-one did. The guilt of accidentally harming another's spirit, the worry of failure, and his own beliefs of not tampering with another in such a way weighed on him, and-

Then someone accepted the proposition that Sokka, in his rather zealous habit of doing so, had put forward.

Needless to say, Aang was rather surprised when it turned out to be none other then a certain happy little contortionist named Ty Lee.

The first question that had slipped out his mouth as the girl before him stated her purpose, the acrobat having certainly grown over the years, her body still as lithe and curved as ever, brimming with subtle muscle, and slightly taller then him, was: "Why?"

The pink-loving girl merely shrugged, though her grey eyes burnt with something that the young Avatar couldn't quite place, and replied: "I figured you could use some help. And I should pay you back after trying to hunt you down after all those years ago."

The look on her face told Aang not to speak more of that, especially after what happened to _you-know-who. _ The acrobat was still brutally testy about that part of things. Regardless, she was insistent, and Aang, perhaps desperate for a way to restore the Airbenders, albeit reluctantly agreed.

It was the middle of Autumn Ty Lee's request was accepted by the Avatar; Autumn empowered his natural Airbender abilities with the winds of change, and he wanted to be at his strongest when he performed this new method of Energybending. And he wanted to be sure that-

"I know the risks. I still wanna go through with it. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." Ty Lee snapped with annoyance at the Avatar, whom had once again voiced the opinion of fear for hurting her in some way. Ty Lee was a friend of his now, and he did not want to ruin it, or her. Mai would murder him if anything went wrong, and make sure he died slowly and painfully. So, obviously, he was cautious. "Besides, if it helps restore the balance of the world and that, then what's the problem?"

The Gang had listed off all the potential problems (Spiritual corruption was the worst fear), but the acrobat didn't really care, insisting on helping out with this new theory, literally being the guinea-sheep. But still...

Aang sighed softly. The time was nigh, and Autumn bestowed him strength and confidence, like Summer for Fire, Winter for Water and Spring for Earth. Count for being next to the Spirit Oasis of the North Pole (A little help for a previous friend and a previous comrade in war never hurt) and with Katara nearby, Aang felt all the energy and confidence he needed. But still, caution was within him.

With a soft sigh, he knelt down in front of a patiently waiting Ty Lee, her grey eyes trusting and intent, not on him, but on her own spiritual matters.

The Avatar withheld a nervous gulp, Energybending being such a foreign and unknown tool, as Katara gave him a reassuring nod, before he braced himself, indulging himself with the foreign power that no other bender had, the ancient art to manipulate the very energy of another person. As the power of the Spirit Oasis contributed to him, he gently rested his hands on Ty Lee's forehead and heart, the very centres of all her energy, just as he done with Ozai.

And there was light.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a swamp. Mangrove specimen, to be specific, glowing with an ethereal orangey light. It smelled like a swamp, sure, yet was nice. It was... shiny. Not bad.

Ty Lee was, however, confused. How in the great name of Agni did she end up here? She had been at the Spirit Oasis of the North Pole; Normally barricaded, due to Zhao's near-murder of the Moon, but Aang had been allowed entry, and she and Katara followed, and she had knelt down, concentrated on her spiritual energy, focused on Aang's pensive Aura, felt the energy of the Moon and Ocean gently stroke at her, as Aang touched her heart and head and _shone-_

And now, she was in a swamp. Odd.

It was of no problem to spring to her feet. She was as athletic and powerful as ever, her arms and legs strengthened by adulthood and practice. seventeen was not a bad age for a girl like her. Regardless, seventeen year old acrobats didn't often end up in weird swamps that glowed and smelt nice. There was also another aspect to it; An Aura of cheer tranquillity that hung over this place. Ty Lee was certain that this was the description of Aang's trip to the Spirit World.

So, why was she here? Had the Energybending had a side-effect? Was she simply, as Toph once described Sokka's addiction to cacti, tripping out? Or, most ominous, had Aang actually killed her? Was she dead? She wasn't sure. It wasn't as though there was anyone to speak of it.

Regardless, there was no point just standing here and doing nothing. With that in mind, the acrobat noted that she stood on a small grassy platform with a wooden gateway behind her. So, where to from here? There was no signs, no sun, no stars. Nothing to be guided by-

Oh wait. There was someone over there. Maybe they cold help!

With a small smile of glee, Ty Lee spun into action, flipping her lithe body forward into a cartwheel to build up a surge of momentum, before her legs contacted ground again and she surged into a run, legs easily carrying her through the shallow waters that dominated the swamp. On a nearby grassy platform, the spotted being was in a classic position of meditation, legs crossed, eyes closed and arms bent out slightly. Ty Lee was surprised to see that he looked like a primate, dressed in ancient monk robes, but if this was the Spirit World, then it should be nothing to get alarmed by.

"Hello?" She asked softly, drawing nearer to the spirit. "Can you help-"

"AH!" The spirit suddenly shrieked and the acrobat leapt backwards in surprise. "Why can't I get any peace around here? First that crazy Avatar, then that stupid panda thing, now you! Why can't I get any peace?"

He seemed very distressed and angered, it it was surprising to the pink-girl, but Ty Lee kept her wit and stuttered: "S-Sorry. I just wanted to know-"

"Look over there!" The spirit grumbled, pointing to the left. The gymnast looked, and noted what appeared to be a great spire in the distance. "Over there, you will find someone. He'll help you. Now leave me alone!"

Ty Lee was insulted, most certainly, but shrugged it off, bowed to the spirit in thanks, and leapt away from the grumpy primate guy, darting through the trees as she headed towards the spire.

The spirit watched her leave, resuming his meditative stance, and sighed: "Finally."

**The Spire**

Travel in the Spirit World was a lot faster then in the physical realm. The spire had looked as though it was at least a day's walk away, yet here she was, five minutes later, getting through the thick growth of trees, the Spire towering above her. Ty Lee was obviously thankful for this faster travel. When she cleared the trees, however, she gasped: The spire was actually the very top of an absolutely gigantic building, a huge ornate structure that shone with majesty and power, it's colour a handsome amber. It was the place of kings and queens, and the acrobat was absolutely awe-struck.

Nevertheless, the primate had said that help was here, and so, she made her way to the grand entrance of the place.

For a moment, there was darkness, then light filtered through a tunnel, and she found herself in the middle of a great and grand room, a massive cross of walkways suspended over many more, all above a great pit. Huge pillars supported the brownish roof, and many shelves lined the walls of the innermost parts, each carrying books and scrolls and tomes.

It was majestic, and Ty Lee could only gasp and stare in amazement as she walked forward-

Something behind her.

A great shadow covered her, and she saw it, and screamed in shock, and spun round, only to fall onto her rear in the surge of fear, and her grey eyes, already wide with the aforementioned shock, widened further still at what stood before her.

An owl, a titanic, grey owl with a white face, deadly sharp talons and beak, black eyes that seemed to pierce her very soul, an owl twice the size of a Sky Bison. The great avian stood proud and tall above her, beady eyes never blinking as it observed her, clearly powerful wings fitted comfortably against it's sides. The grey feathers were sleek and smooth, yet held an unmistakable fluffy quality. Ty Lee gaped as the bird reared taller still, and spoke in a voice experienced beyond time itself.

"How did you get into my Library, human? Better still, how did you come upon the Spirit World?"

Ty Lee was quick to nervously crawl away from the great bird, her mind paralysed with fear. The owl blinked, and took a step forward.

"Answer me, mortal." The owl declared, a hint of menace in his wise voice, as he took another step forward, the monstrous talons clacking against the floor, earning a whimper of fear from the acrobat. "Or answer no-one ever again."

"P-Please..." The gymnast stuttered fearfully, now moving to pick herself up from the floor, though shaking horribly from the terror she felt, though it was slowly diminishing at the prospect of perhaps not being killed by this spirit. "I-I don't know how I got here, and-and another spirit said that you could help me and-"

"That other spirit would be Enma, one who is devoted to his constant meditation." The owl replied, withdrawing his threatening posture into a more thoughtful one. "It is most like him to push others onto the other spirits; He is rather... cranky."

Ty Lee felt the sudden urge to smile at that comment, and giggled ever so slightly at the use of the word from the majestic owl before her, her fear dwindling away as she stood to her full height. "I noticed."

If the owl could smirk, he probably would have done so by now. "Indeed." But then, his expression changed to dark dislike, and Ty Lee backed away as the step as he declared: "But that is of no consequence. Humans are no longer allowed in my Library, and you are not an exception to this rule. Leave."

The acrobat gulped again, feeling the avian's Aura shift: The deep bronze of intellect replaced by a dark mould of black and crimson of anger and hurt and betrayal. It was rather shocking; His Aura was so vibrant, so powerful, so spiritual. So like Az-...

"Did you not hear me?" The owl growled, suddenly leaning in to face level, earning a startled gasp from the gymnast, whom again fell on her rump. "You are not welcome here."

"But I need your help!" Ty Lee protested, leaning away from the owl in fear as he leaned closer to her, eyes shining with annoyance.

"The last time humans needed my help-" The massive bird snarled. "-They betrayed me, abused the knowledge I have accumulated and used it to try and destroy their enemies. I, Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten-thousand things, will not be fooled again. Or you, my dear, will end up like him."

The great bird shifted his head to look at something, the gymnast following his gaze, and she gulped in horror and disgust at what she saw.

A man's face, a cheery face of a professor, perhaps, topped with a big hat, hung from a nearby pillar, the creepy smile forever frozen on his decapitated head.

Wan Shi Tong and Ty Lee looked at each other, and the bird asked: "Care to join him?"

"N-No, but-"

"Pleading for my help won't do you much, girl." The All-Knowing spirit replied, straightening up to glare at her. "My help and my knowledge has unfortunately been abused over the years by such pathetic humans, who need other humans to do their dirty work."

"But I have to get home!" The gymnast begged, getting onto her knees and meeting the owl's black eyes with her pleading grey. "Please, I only want to get back to the Physical World! Only you can help me! You're the All-Knowing spirit who knows everything!"

Wan Shi Tong seemed to do that brief beaky smirk again at her slight praise. "I'm afraid not. Your arrival here was unprecedented, due to an unknown fluctuation of spiritual energy. I, sadly, lack the knowledge to correct such an error, due to it being the first of its kind."

Ty Lee deflated like a balloon pierced with needles, any hope of finding help form the bird and returning home shattered-

"But, there is another who can help you."

And the acrobat perked up again. "Who?"

The owl said nothing, appearing to contemplate his choice of words, before he replied: "If you wish for my knowledge, then, in exchange, you must grant me a piece of knowledge, and also answer me a question."

Nothing else to lose. The acrobat nodded.

"Very well. First, my question." Wan Shi Tong stated. "How did you arrive in the Spirit World?"

"Er..." Ty Lee murmured, her mind trying to find a logical and smart answer to give. Finding nothing fancy, she went for the basic's "Well, my friend, Aang, used Energybending on me to see if he could give me the ability to bend and, I dunno, I think it went wrong or something, 'cause I'm now in the Spirit World, which-"

"I get it." The owl grumbled bluntly, and Ty Lee snapped her mouth shut. "But what foolishness; Energybending is the oldest and gravest of arts. Such use on another being is suicidal. You are lucky you are not dead. But regardless of that, you must now grant me a piece of knowledge."

The pink girl gulped nervously. Truth be told, she didn't really know much stuff. Sure, chi-paths and Aura and circus stuff and how to make friends and that, but she-

Wait... Aura!

Ty Lee smiled to herself, and asked the owl: "Would you like to know what your Aura is like?"

This question caught the owl off-guard, surprisingly, and he seemed surprised at such a statement when he replied: "My Aura?"

Ty Lee nodded: "Yep! I have a feeling for them. I can tell you yours if you want."

Wan Shi Tong cocked his head in intrigue and curiosity, and mused: "Hmm... never before has an Aura Reader offered me that. I have been curious on what my Aura is like, I suppose, and it would count to me as knowledge on a personal level. Very well. Tell me."

The acrobat nodded and focused herself. She had always seen and felt the swirl of colour that made every person: Aura worked on two levels. The inner core was what the person was truly like, while the outer shell displayed the current emotion. And with that, she read the great spirit's. His inner core was vibrant, yet tempered, and it blazed a handsome bronze, the colour of logic and knowledge, though tempered with the sad grey of betrayal. He had been hurt, and this knowledge surprised Ty Lee. His outer shell was currently light-green, a sign of curiousness. It was nice.

"Well, your Aura is bronzy, kinda,, with knowledge, with some grey, though." The gymnast murmured. "And there's green for curiosity, which is nice. But the grey means that you've... been hurt."

The owl seemed satisfied, with any other emotion hidden. His Aura's green shifted to a neutral yellow, and Wan Shi Tong said: "Excellent. I am glad to know that. Well, you have passed my test, so to speak. And now, I shall tell you who you must visit, to understand how you may get back to your World."

And he leaned and whispered one word to her, that filled her with pure terror, a horrified look on her face, feeling the tiny sliver of fear even in the great spirit's voice:

_"Koh."_


	3. Chapter 3

_"When you speak with him, you must be careful, to show NO emotion at all; Not the slightest expression. Or-"_

_"He is very dangerous. They call him... The Face-Stealer."_

_"-He will steal your face."_

The dark realm was grisly and cold; The spiritual light of the mangrove swamp and the ornate beauty of the library was not replicated her. And yet it was here, leaping across stacks of pillars, that Ty Lee was, her acrobatic form dashing from rocky pillar to pillar, occasionally stopping now and then to observe a titanic wolf, larger then an Elephant Koi, walk around, and her destination was the gnarled, grisly form of a titanic tree that stretched into the sky. It held no leaves; Only black death.

The gymnast felt the tingling of fear at her. It was much worse then her fear of Wan Shi Tong, whom had proven to be friendly. No, within that tree was something that even the mighty owl would fear, a monster of malicious cruelty, beyond anything the physical world would ever know. She remembered what the owl had told her:

_"Emotion will result in your doom at his hands. You must not show him even the slightest expression. Or you will nothing more then another in his vile collection. But if you can hold strong, then he can gift you all the answers you will need. Of course, remember this: He will try to scare you, try to manipulate, try anything to make you show emotion. He may use the face of a mere baby, or a savage creature, all designed to make you give yourself away to his intent. Hold strong, my dear, and he cannot have you. Hold strong."_

_But as she left, she had been struck by something, and asked the great owl:_

_"Um... what... what do you know about... insanity?"_

_She had received no reply, and with that, she had left._

The sensation of nervousness in the owl was what really unnerved Ty Lee. She didn't know what Koh looked like, but what thing could scare even it's fellow spirits, could scare the Avatar? Something horrible, that's for sure.

But Ty Lee had no choice. Either visit Koh, or risk being trapped here forever.

The pink girl was soon to reach the bottom of the tree; This world had not affected her speed in any negative passion. Glancing around the great ravine nervously, Ty Lee took a deep breath, and forced all emotion from her face. It was hard; Fear, worry, nervousness. They all bit at her. But she had lived with Mai and Az- Ah, Mai. She had lived with Mai before, it was easy to imitate Mai's constant expression of boredom. Her grey eyes scanned the are again, noting the terrifyingly dark cave before her, and the gnarled bark of the great tree, the misty oblivion over the edge, and the great branches spanning across the sky. There was light. And it may be the last time she ever saw light again.

With a deep breath, she forced herself to look like Mai, and slowly walked towards the mouth of the cave. Into the heart of the abyss.

It was dark. Very dark. Her eyes could only just make out floor and wall and steeps and ceiling. And even then, only blurs. She treaded very carefully; One wrong slip would lead to falling, falling would lead to pain, and pain would lead to expression.

She didn't want to think about what expression would lead to.

"No fear." She murmured dispassionately to herself. "Just a cave."

"Not so much the cave, my dear, but what lies within."

She took a deep breath as a voice, older then time, enriched with ancient power and a tad of malicious amusement, sounded from the depths of the depths. It could only be him. So, waling forward all the while, Ty Lee mustered her courage and asked: "I need your help, Great Spirit."

"Yes, most people do." The voice replied coolly. "Many journey to the tree. Some become seeds and leave it, to flourish in their new knowledge. Some become roots and are trapped, only here to feed me. All had their moments. So, little one: What do you need?"

It took more effort then it should not to shudder, as Ty Lee felt her outstretched foot, ready for another step, suddenly brush a limb, something _moving. _A vile cold spread through her, but the acrobat was more resilient then one might think. _She _had taught her that...

"I need to find a way back to the Physical World." Ty Lee murmured, placing her hands into a traditional bowing gesture, and tilting her body forward. Perhaps respect might earn her however slight a respite from the being. Something moved in front, a blur of darkness, arching behind her. Keep your head. Don't panic. He won't hurt you...

"Yes, you do."

The voice was right on her ear, and Ty Lee suppressed a shiver as hard, jagged claws gently stroked at her shoulders, the gesture of one who would help, was compassionate. But also, a warning: Do not leave. A thick sliver moved in the shadows, an the faint scuttling of insectoid legs reached her ears, but she ignored this. Instead, she found herself gazing at an Aura beyond anything she had ever seen.

She was amazed and horrified. There, within the slivers of emotional energy, she saw... she didn't know. She saw time, life, space, death. Everything and anything, all swirling in colours, colours, colours she didn't even know existed. Energy beyond energy, the energy of a spirit beyond anything. And she found it was easy, easy to keep herself emotionless, strong, calm, simply by focusing on the being's Aura. Only one Aura she had seen before was as glorious as this-

A shiver of darkness, a flash of faint light, and she saw Koh.

All that kept her from screaming was an even greater fear of what would happen if she did. The creature was monstrous. The thick, armoured, segmented body, like a giant centipede-spider, sharp clawed legs supporting the coiled body, surrounding her in a dead enclosure of coil and power. The front of the beast was like an eye: Four claws on top, four on the bottom, all curled and razor-sharp, and between these claws sat the face of a white clown, like those at her old circus, but more horrifying, like an eye. The lips turned up into a small smile, and Koh spoke:

"While I am flattered that you seem to enjoy admiring my Aura and form, I think that is not your purpose here. Though, not that I mind; It has been a long time since an Aura Reader has visited me. Now, tell me: How can I help you?"

Ty Lee regained her train of thought, and spoke, her voice shaking slightly, but not enough to betray her: "I need to get back to the-"

"Oh yes, you told me that already. But that is not your true purpose here."

Confusion swept through Ty Lee, but only beneath the surface. What did he-

"Ah, you haven't figured it out yet." Koh mused, amusement in his voice, as the eye closed in, and the clown face was gone, replaced by the face of an old man, wrinkled skin and brown eyes, with a small white moustache and long eyebrows. It was disturbing. "Not that that is of any doubt to your intellect, my dear. But I must say, that you don't know still surprises me. It had been most certainly on your mind when you visited the great Knowledge."

"I don't recall." Ty Lee murmured, focusing on the intense Aura of Koh. It was easier to withstand then his monstrous appearance, anyway.

The old man was replaced by the face of a young man, with black sideburns similar to Uncle Iroh, and the spirit spoke once more: "You asked the wise Wan Shi Tong if he knew of insanity. I seem to recall that a friend of yours suffers it. How noble of you; Seeking to aid her with this grievous matter."

Ty Lee had to fight to keep the expression of realisation of her face. Yes, yes, she did ask the giant owl that question: What did he know of insanity? But he had not answered. And the acrobat replied: "I remember now. But he did not answer."

"That is because he tires of people always asking him, when they have only betrayed him again and again." The monstrous insectoid replied, sounding slightly amused at the other spirit's anger, his face suddenly switching to that of a young girl with black hair and blue eyes. "The spirits have always answered to mortality, but mortality fails them, and they do not offer second chances. Not often."

Ty Lee noted that Koh had spoke of the spirits as if... as if they were different. Was Koh not a spirit? Was he something else? Something unlike this world? And she asked: "I am sorry that he feels that way. But if that is what I cam to ask, so be it: What do you know of insanity?"

"The true question is: What _isn't _insanity." Koh replied, his face changing to that of a watchful black-and-white cat, golden eyes narrowed at the acrobat, his massive body coiled so close that it grazed the edges of her clothing, though his face was always looking at her. "It is not safety. It is not forgiving. It is not the state of which a mind should be. It is, however, something that can be removed, at least temporarily. No matter how many times a crow-hyena is chased from a corpse, it will always return to peck at it. And that is insanity. The pecking of wrong against right, the stripping of logic from flesh."

"How does one cure it?" The acrobat asked. She was getting close to having an answer to something she had always hoped to know about.

Koh smirked to himself. It was easy; She had distracted herself from learning how to return to her world. How delightful. But she had asked him a reasonable question, and he answered: "The Fire Nation's daughter has forgone all logic to perfection, but in perfection, there is flaw, and when the flaw is revealed to all, it strips the logic. But thankfully, there has been one other certainty to her mind. And that was you, my dear."

Focus on his Aura. Don't show surprise. Ask him: "Me? How?"

"You always stood by her, of course." Koh replied almost cheerfully, as though he found it sweet or something. "She learned to depended on you for always being at her side, always serving. A fire-moth to her flame. She has always been expected to be perfect, but you only expected her to simply be. And she was grateful. But without you, her logic revealed it's flaw, and that flaw stripped her perfection, and the second flaw, the claw in that her father cared, was revealed as well. And she was gone. But if you were to, say, chase away the crow-hyena, perhaps you can give her logic again. It can work."

Ty Lee was silent, as she contemplated this, Koh circling her with infinite patience as he waited for anything else she may have to say.

Though she would not show him, Ty Lee was astounded. Az-Azula... Azula could be helped. Azula could be saved. She could help her, she could save her! She-

Stop. Restrain yourself. Be like Mai.

"Thank you, great Spirit." Ty Lee murmured, bowing respectfully. "But how do I return to the physical world?"

Koh smiled, impressed by her resilience. He had honestly expected her to crack at that part; Her soft little love... Regardless, he answered: "Let me explain. That which brought you here, Energybending, brought you here to survive."

"Survive?"

"Yes. Your spirit was being forced to be what it is not to be. But your spirit was willing and acceptant, and it was safe. But it was still not right, and thus, it came here, to be safe among spirits and its natural energy, while your body recovered from what it is not to be, while it changed. Your spirit is communing here in peace and power, while your body is joining with the elements themselves. But what element will it be?" Koh's face changed to that of an angry looking man with a brown moustache. as his tone became amused. "Your blood blazes with Fire. You feel passion, energy and strength. That is Fire. Yet, there is soft fragility, a sense of freedom, spiritual care, the ability to see past the clouds, and into the peace. This, my dear, is Air. And there is fluidity, the ability to adapt and change, from soothing care, to frigid determination. This is Water. Only Earth has eluded you, but the remaining three bow to you. But which shall triumph? This is the struggle your spirit has come here to survive, to wait until one is victorious, and it can safely return."

Ty Lee's head burned with awe and amazement of just how much the great being knew. Imagine what was happening to her right now! When she awoke, she may feel Fire, or Air, or Water! She was amazed, but her logic returned to her and she asked: "How do I return?"

"That will come in time." Koh replied casually, his face returning to the girl with black hair. "But I must ask you this: What do you see in your Princess?"

The acrobat hesitated, her mind struggling to keep itself from showing it's thoughts on her face. Azula... Azula, who was so wonderful, so amazing, so beautiful, so perfect, so brave, so confident, so admirable, so, so, so... caring. Someone had not seen her as a seventh, but a first, someone who could see her for someone who wanted to be accepted and individual. Someone dark, misunderstood, someone who was always worried about how perfect they were...

"Much, I see." Koh mused, earning a flicker of surprise from Ty Lee, but thankfully, thankfully, he wasn't paying attention, and she covered her emotions up again. "Such a shame. Such a shame..."

Ty Lee felt a horrible sense of foreboding at that, but held it down and asked: "What?"

He turned to face her, his face now that of the clown, somehow the worst of all in comparison to the body, and he whispered to her:

_"She loved you as well."_

And Ty Lee could not stop herself from gasping, emotion flooding her and spilling form her, and tears fell from her, and before she could try and run, the massive body tightened around her, and the razor sharp claws moved in for her, and she screamed, and Koh smiled and-


	4. Chapter 4

"Stop."

Ty Lee's scream froze in her throat as if a Waterbender had converted it to ice, the savage claws of the monster barely digging into her skin like the scrape of sharp nails, fear ripping through her as the titanic body coiled around her tightened tensely, the instinctive defensive gesture of a predator defending its kill, his current face now twisted in frustration and annoyance.

Ty Lee dare not look, dare not hope Koh had her now, and whatever being had spoken would not be able to convince the great Face-Stealer to release her. Her only hope was the terrible spirit would be swift in disfiguring her, so that the pain was quick and would not last, and tears continued to run down her cheeks. And she found herself wishing for her friend...

Poor, poor Azula... She had l-

"Koh, let her go."

The voice registered in her mind; A voice she suddenly gasped in relief upon recognition. A twist of body turned her around, the claws leaving her to grant the gymnast the sight before her:

Aang, ethereal, but here.

"My old friend, the Avatar." Koh purred cruelly, arching the long face forward to view Aang in greater detail. The young monk playing hero for his test subject, no doubt driven by worry, and perhaps wonder if his little process may have worked. Such a shame he would not. "What brings you here to my humble domain?"

The War's End had strengthened him. Not a flicker of emotion or expression showed in the Avatar's neutral expression. Not the struggling little boy that had visited him before, whom had nearly lost it all due to the excitement of realisation. Well, let's see how he did with his little friend at stake.

"Well, as much as I appreciate your visit, I have business to attend to..."

The dark voice was taunting, yet pleasant, and Ty Lee whimpered in fear as the body moved her away from Aang, deeper into the darkness.

"Don't do it, Koh." Aang replied monotonously, yet with the faintest hint of warning in his voice, his grey eyes like barren steel.

Koh flicked his face into that of a mere baby, and smiled at the Avatar: "And why ever not? She has shown emotion to me, and is mine now. You would do wise not to make the same mistake of challenging me as your previous incarnation did..."

"I won't challenge you, Koh-" Aang stated coldly. "-But I will bargain. If you release Ty Lee, it can be made up to you. Her spirit needs to return to her body; Energybending isn't to be trifled with."

"Her spirit can return whether I do this or not." Koh replied knowingly, a cold smirk adorning the babies face, horribly contrasting to such an innocent demeanour. "It makes no difference. This is what I do, young Avatar, and do it, I shall. Though, I do admire your nobility and desire to help a former enemy."

"Please, Koh. We- Azula-"

"Yes, the Fire Nation Princess." Koh mused, drawing his massive form upwards, Ty Lee gasping in both pain at a constriction of his body and fear for what this monster knew of her Princess, his face changing to the beautiful woman that the previous Water Tribe Avatar had lost. "The insane prodigy, our little friend's precious fan-girl, so to speak. No matter. Her friend belongs to me now."

The spirit chuckled, the sharp legs scraping at Ty Lee's own appendages, a deadly warning of what was to come. And nothing she could do would be able to stop him; Even if she knew how his Chi worked, the armoured shell of his insectoid form would never succumb to her Chi Blocks, and he'd probably kill her before she could do anything. Aang couldn't bargain with a monster as old as Time itself...

Huh, how pessimistic. She was beginning to kinda sound like Mai.

"Koh, please." Aang repeated, the tone disturbingly neutral despite the situation. "Please. Let her go."

Koh pondered for a moment, his face switching to a brown owl, before replying: "I will only release her... if you have another face in exchange."

The statement was both obvious and ominous, and Ty Lee shuddered as the great body coiled slightly around her.

Then Aang replied with a statement she never would have expected: "Fine. We'll discuss this... after you let her go."

Koh smirked, and replied: "Keep your word, Avatar, or the face I collect in exchange for her freedom won't be of _your _choice."

And again, all Ty Lee saw was white-

**Author's Notes: Been ages since I last updated...**

**Anyway, Aang saves the day as usual, and Koh gets an offer. Now, where is Ty Lee off to now? Review and stay tuned! :D**

**See ya' later!**


	5. Chapter 5

Azula awoke with a scream.

The sound came out hoarse and crooked, yet piercing and above all, terrified. The scream went on for a few seconds, before dying into fearful breaths, rapid and anxious, golden eyes wide and horrified, obsidian hair slick with sweat. Glancing around in a panic, Azula took in the bleak, grey, empty surroundings of her room (Cell was a better word in this asylum.) The bars at the forefront of the cell were firm and unyielding, as always and bracers around her wrists, ankles and neck blocked the flow of chi, preventing her from Firebending. Not to mention aching her horribly.

Regardless, Azula did not calm down, breathing shallow, eyes and head jerking wildly from side to side in fear, until the slim arms coiled around her and pulled to a firm, taut muscled body, soft and feminine, the soft sweet voice murmuring: "Shush, Azula, shush; Calm down. What's wrong?"

Azula felt all traces of panic leave her as she scrambled almost maniacally to be closer to the other person, arms tightening possessively around the lean form, burying her head in the warm chest, tears springing to her, a sob escaping her, as memory provided the source of her horror:

_Only a nightmare-_

_"The Face-Stealer."_

_Ty Lee, trapped in black coils, claws coming to kill her-_

_"He will steal your face."_

"What's wrong, Azula?" The voice, the voice of her Ty Lee, alive and real and here, murmured softly, one arm wrapped tightly around the ex-princess, the other using its hand to stroke at her hair, the tone concerned and soothing.

Azula shivered with the horrible _fear, _but was more relaxed now. It had only been a nightmare. There was no Spirit World, no blinding light, no giant owl, no dark cave. That monster, that terrible monster with the face of a woman, a baby, a cat, a man, anything, the monster was not real. Azula took in a deep breath to stabilise whatever little, meagre stability she had left, and let it out with a small whimper, trying to burrow herself as deep as physically possible into her Ty Lee's soft form, not bothering to answer; To speak weakness was to become weakness-

"Azula..." Her Ty Lee's tone was faintly disapproving. "C'mon. Tell me, what's wrong. You were sleeping so peacefully, then you started screaming..."

"Not screaming..." The Firebender denied promptly, shaking her head in the confines of her friend's arms. Her head hurt, her_ pride_ hurt, and she wanted to rest. It all hurt her so much...

Her Ty Lee sighed, and gently adjusted herself into a more comfortable position on the simple mat she sat on, Azula lying upon her. Her poor, dear, sweet princess, the acrobat must be thinking. So prideful, even here, so hurt... Azula would normally have scoffed at the pink girl's constant peppy cheerfulness and care, but now, it was all she had. And she... loved it. And her mouth moved:

"Thank you."

The sound was so soft that the acrobat barely heard it, but she did, and she asked the princess, in regards to the small words:

"What for?"

Azula clenched her eyes shut as the horrible memory of that freakish beast, clawing at her precious Ty Lee, hit her like an angry dragon-moose. She'd never forget this nightmare, despite how many others she had had. This one was just too vivid and horrible. But she regained herself, wrapped her arms tighter around her acrobat, and murmured:

"For not leaving. For staying. You always stay..."

"I do. For you." Her Ty Lee murmured, lowering her head to kiss the soft tresses of obsidian, the Firebender stiffening slightly at the foreign physical touch, but relaxing further as her Ty Lee sighed softly and drew back and laid her head against the hard, cold, smooth wall, eyes closing as darkness enveloped them once more, Azula now softly breathing, her body against the gymnast's. How she could lie here forever, with just her Ty Lee.

A thought evidently occurring, and one eye slitting open, her Ty Lee raised one hand and idly performed a circular motion. Instantly, a tiny gust of wind caressed the ex-princesses face, whom jerked up in surprise, golden eyes wide with shock (There was no wind in these cells), before they flitted and locked onto the acrobat's grey, surprise and realisation striking her hard. Her Ty Lee merely smiled again, and with another mere motion, Azula felt herself relax as a draw of fresh air pressed against her, soothing in how soft it was, like her Ty Lee.

Soothing like a breath of fresh air after a terrible dive in cold water.

**Author's Notes: Apologies for my lame lateness, but I suck sometimes. Anyway, I hope you liked the finish of Spirit of Sky, which is this chapter, and glad to have completed :D**

**Thanks for reviews!**


	6. Epilogue: Face up to your Fate

**Author's Notes: ROAR! In all my idiocy, I left out a key detail! A review from my pal, Inferno 54, reminded that Koh had demanded a face in exchange for Ty Lee's return, and I forgot to put it in! Damn me.**

**Oh well, here it is now: Enjoy!**

How _sickeningly _sweet.

The fair little Aura Reader coddled up to the disgraced princess. Honestly, did the young acrobat have nothing better to do then her comforting little visits? Did she honestly believe she could cure a mind that had been as so corrupted as the little Azula's, whose own nightmare had warned her of what the other female had tried to do, and whose own father twisted her? True, it was possible, but he highly doubted it. Then again, he had been wrong before.

Koh smirked to himself. The Avatar's little visit when he had the Aura Reader in his clutches had been unexpected. but worth it. In exchange for her freedom, he was granted another face, a better, more worthwhile face. Aura Reader's were so rare nowadays. In fact, if memory served him, the little acrobat was the only one in all of the Fire Nation. Interesting.

But, his new face was so much more satisfying. It still had it's body, in fact, shaking in horrible, nauseating fear it had never felt before. Such fear for the fearless; Koh was intoxicated.

Twisting his lithe, armoured form round, his face that of a young baby he had been offered in exchange for forgiving a Noble of an insult against him, he turned to observe his newest collector's item. The face's golden eyes were wide with the fear, face narrow with recent hardships, hair straggly and ragged, breathing shallow and panicked. Smiling, Koh spoke to the face:

"Such a shame it came to this for you, sir. A shame you will never have the peace your son has. Though, not that he minds; You never did anything right. Neither did your grandfather on his so-called glorious campaign. Air will thrive again, blowing through the trees of fortune, scattering seeds of hope through the land. The Fourth Element returns, sir, and your grandfather has failed."

His body moved in closer, and Koh ignored the sobbing face's fearful begging for mercy, and he said: "You have failed. Fire feeds on the Air, and your daughter will feed on the life that her Air will give her, and return to a blazing glory, Fire and Air, as close as Earth and Water. The blazing wrath of Fire burns the Earth, while the Air whips the Water into a pathetic frenzy. But it is Water that suffocates the Fire, and Earth that defies the Air. They ally against their enemies. Though, of course, Air and Water can make a soothing oceanic wind, and Fire allows the Earth to renew itself. The elements are together. Such a shame you won't see that."

The face screamed, but a slice of claws and a satisfying readjustment of features left Koh staring at the worthless body with his new face, which twisted into the smirk the previous owner was so capable of.

"Never mind." Koh mused on the face's fate. "The face of the Phoenix King is worth far more then an Aura Reader."


End file.
